Path Projects Sentinel Half Tights

Path Projects

Path Projects is known more as trail or mountain brand than a road running brand, but in my experience that just seems to translate to “slightly more robust” than road dedicated gear. I think their main claim to fame is their running shorts and associated liners, which I have also used and may review separately (quick take: they are excellent). Their sizing could certainly be more inclusive, as they top out at 2XL (though on the small size of 2XL) for most shirts and XL for all bottoms.

Comfortable, If Thick, Materials

Path Projects says these half tights are constructed from “ForgeKnit^TM Nylon”, which they list as an “80% Nylon, 20% Spandex, 200 gsm performance compression knit.” 200 gsm (grams per square meter) is a medium to heavy weight fabric, especially for running gear, and it shows in the wearing of these half tights. From the moment I put them on, the feel was that of a heavier weight than many of my other half tights. This does come with positives: the fabric feels somewhat brushed and soft, versus the common synthetic slickness, and feels overall less “fragile.” However, it comes with a cost — heat and sweat retention. There is no denying that these run warmer than other half tights I have tried and once that heat turns into sweat, this fabric holds onto it. It is still a synthetic, athletic material, so evaporation still happens and I have had no issues with chafing, but you can feel them getting weighed down over the course of a warm run — and when you take them off, you may well be grossed out with the accumulation. That hasn’t stopped me from wearing them in the summer heat.

The latest web page for the Sentinel Half Tights lists a modesty panel in front crotch area, providing coverage given there is no liner. I wonder if this was added after I ordered my pair, as I do not see any kind of double layer on the front of mine, but the fabric is thick enough it causes me no modesty issues. Unlike many other running half tights, the crotch on these is not gusseted — instead, there is a separate crotch panel from the two front leg panels, with all seams joining between the legs. I have not noticed any restrictions on standard running movements without the gusset — the fabric itself seems sufficiently stretchy. I have also not noticed any irritation issues with the seams all joining in this location.

The waistband on the half tights is utilitarian and there is nothing wrong with that — it is comfortable and gets the job done effectively. I’ve had no digging in from the drawstring, which is a good length and grips itself well, making it easy to get a solid fit. This leads, in turn, to the half tights staying put for the duration of the run. The silicone (or rubber, not sure) dipped tips are a nice touch, as well.

Durable, Except for Pilling

The construction of the Sentinel half tights seems top notch. All the stitches look to be excellent quality and I have no issues with popping seams. In addition, as mentioned above, the fabric itself seems very durable… Save for one issue. Between the legs (where my thighs rub), I have had a noticeable amount of pilling of the fabric. I have not noticed pilling anywhere else, so it is certainly due to the fabric-on-fabric friction in this area. The pilling has not, thus far, had apparent impact on the integrity of the fabric, but I imagine over time this will be the first place to give. In fact, as I added more miles to the fabric, the pilling almost transitioned to a “restructuring” of the fabric — it now feels harder in those spots, almost like the fabric melted. I doubt it actually melted from my thigh friction, but something odd has happened to the fabric. Some half tights have a different fabric in the crotch gusset — I think Path Projects could benefit from that approach (both adding the gusset and using a different fabric).

There are no fancy additional construction or fabric details. No silicone leg grippers to be seen, but the leg openings stay put and do not ride up, while remaining comfortable.

Pockets Galore

The Sentinel Half Tights have no shortage of pockets. In the back, a zippered pocket that can fit your phone or 3-4 gels. There is also a small key pocket hanging from the waistband on the interior. On the outside of each leg, a set of two pockets. A shorter upper pocket, capable of carrying 2-3 gels. A taller bottom pocket, capable of fitting a phone, 3-4 gels, or a soft flask (easily fits a 250ml, but you can cram in a 500ml). I regularly run with a cell phone in one side pocket, a 250ml flask on the other leg pocket, and gels stashed throughout — this type of load out is comfortable and convenient. Even getting something as large and awkward as a soft flask in and out of the large leg pockets is no problem.

I have run in these “fully loaded,” which for me is two 150ml gel flasks (top side pockets), two 500ml drink flasks (bottom side pockets), a car key and an iPhone 16 Pro (rear zip pocket). Even with all this weight, I had no issues with bouncing. The side pockets are not quite tall enough to fully fit the flasks, but this does not really cause any issues — if anything, it makes them easier to get out. In addition, once you’ve taken your first swigs from each, they can compress down to fully fit.

Some other half tights (Nike Lava Loops and Flipbelt Half Tights) seem to put a lot of the weight closer to the waist, much like a running belt, to avoid any tugging or bouncing problem — keeping the weight closer to the waist seams/stitches and tighter fabric/drawstring. This makes sense from a loading perspective, I just find it often does not work well for me as a bigger runner — the waistband tends to roll, covering the pocket entry, or my belly is just in the way. For this reason, I generally prefer the tradeoffs of leg pockets versus waist/belt pockets (though there are exceptions for some half tights). Perhaps it would be worth Path Projects moving the larger pocket to the top, though, so it has more support for the larger item.

Near Perfect Fit

One thing you will notice across my half tight reviews is that for me, as a bigger runner, I prefer to wear the waistband under my natural waist (i.e., under the fat roll). I find wearing them up near my belly button, the place most half tight construction seems to think I should wear them, rather uncomfortable and weird — it is not where I wear any other bottoms. The good news, for me, is that the Sentinel half tights seem to have lower rise than most others, meaning the crotch hits the right place when I have the waistband at my preferred spot. For me, it could maybe be a half inch lower to be perfect, but even with where it sits now I have had no issues with chafing. On longer runs, especially as the fabric stretches out with use, the crotch can droop a bit. This leads to some minor pinching between the legs, but a quick adjustment fixes it.

Mountain-Tested, Road Ready

While the Path Projects Sentinel Half Tights claim to be mountain-tested, I see no reason for trail runners to keep these excellent half tights all to themselves. The fabric is perhaps on the heavier side to accommodate the trail, with some minor durability and sweat management costs, but the optimal pockets, comfort, and fit more than make up for it. When I need pockets, which is basically every run not on a treadmill, these are often the half tights I grab — if they aren’t still in the laundry hamper from the last run.